atop my old helmet a dragonfly perches
by Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: There was an ancient evil stalking around the plains.


The mission that Captain Rosyln gave to Takeo was a solemn one. It was a mission where even the parchment of the paper felt heavy, the words carrying weight just by being written. It instructed the recipient to slay the Ancient Napdragon and to bring back one of its crimson scales. It had never been fully defeated, not even by the savior of Reveria who mastered all of the twelve lives so long ago. This creature was merely culled back from hurting anyone, its health slowly depleted. But, as Captain Roslyn advised, it was best to not go alone for this mission. With a pinch of luck the Ancient Napdragon could be defeated for good.

Takeo saluted his captain and she did the same. He read over the mission once more as he left the paladins' hold. He remembered the first time he had seen the savior of Reveria, when they had chosen the paladin lifestyle, returning from the plains. Their armor was badly damaged, but they held a deep red scale that was the size of a horse's tooth. That dedication to saving people was what influenced Takeo to take up the paladin lifestyle when he got older. He headed over to the east side of town and found his childhood friend, Makoto. Makoto was practicing his archery, the arrow lodged in the target's bull's-eye. He heard what Takeo had to say, and offered his help with a nod.

The two stocked up on supplies, keeping the Life Cures in a slot in the knapsack where they could easily be grabbed, and headed out to the plains together.

They spent a good time walking before the air became stifled with the smell of sulfur. The babies of the Napdragon were in a panic, and Takeo and Makoto had to be stealthy in order to avoid them. In the center of the field the Ancient Napdragon stood, its scales chipped and some missing. Its eyes were glassy and its tail was mangled. It noticed something and its roar was deafening.

To Takeo's horror there was someone deathly close to the Ancient Napdragon, someone dressed in the robes of a magician. She was reciting a spell, the end of her wand glowing blue, and she pointed it in the direction of the Ancient Napdragon. Icicles fell, striking the Ancient Napdragon.

The Ancient Napdragon roared, and Takeo rushed to it, his sword striking at one of its legs. He felt the sword drive into the Ancient Dragon's leg, and he swung for the other leg. The Ancient Napdragon raised up on its back legs to try to crush Takeo, but the soles of its feet earned two arrows. Takeo felt heat graze over him, but when the fire didn't burn him he knew it was the girl's magic. In his haze of adrenaline he remembered it was because they were allies in this situation.

The Ancient Napdragon stuck the ground, Takeo running out of its range, and bellowed when the arrowheads dug into its skin. Takeo slashed at its side, and the Ancient Dragon opened its mouth to breath fire, but the icicles fell upon it again, and an arrow nearly lodged itself in the Ancient Dragon's throat.

The Ancient Napdragon's tail swung and struck Takeo and it barely winded him. He charged forward at the dragon again and jabbed his sword into the side of its abdomen. The Ancient Dragon raised up on its back legs again, and Takeo could see the girl reciting a healing spell, halfway in speaking an advanced one.

Takeo ran to her and held up his sword as a barrier to the Ancient Napdragon's wrath. Just as the Ancient Napdragon began to fall the spell was complete and Takeo felt his strength return. He buried his sword into the Ancient Napdragon's leg, heard the sound of an arrow lodge itself into the Ancient Dragon's eye and that was it. The Ancient Napdragon crumbled to the ground, and a bounty cage enclosed it, dragon meat appearing beside it in a tightly wrapped bag.

There was silence, a sort of awe that wasn't ready to be broken. It was Makoto that stepped first, picking up the item and handing them to Takeo. Makoto pushed the bounty to Takeo and well, and mentioned that they should go to the bounty clerk.  
The girl said, somewhat strained and chipper at the same time, that she would like to join them and offered her name, Rinko. Takeo and Makoto gave their names to her, and the three of them headed to Farley's farm to drop off the Ancient Napdragon.

It took a while for the bounty clerk to regain composure, but gave Takeo a crimson scale, saying that the Ancient Napdragon was carrying it. Makoto called the assignment a pure success and left for town, and anybody but Takeo would be able to see what he was doing.

Rinko fidgeted, and Takeo asked what she was doing in the plains. She replied that she was fulfilling a villager's request, to defeat some of the outlaws that roamed the plains, but the Ancient Napdragon had suddenly appeared and that it was terrifying yet exciting all at once. She looked up at Takeo with a starry-eyed expression that made his heart skip a beat, and she thanked him for shielding her from the Ancient Napdragon. To which he thanked her for healing them and for subduing its attacks when he was so close to it.

The thank-yous trailed off and Takeo considered that helping out, even if it was unexpected, would count as his own request. He asked if Rinko wished for anything and she waved her hands, looking flustered and saying he really didn't have to. But she mentioned that she was also in the cooking lifestyle and dragon meat would be wonderful for proving to Alonzo that she could advance to the next rank.

Takeo immediately handed the dragon meat to her, earning another stream of thank-yous. She looked up at him, starry-eyed again, and said that it would be a pleasure for him to visit the bistro. And Makoto, she added after a few seconds.

Takeo heartily agreed, and thought that the luck Captain Roslyn mentioned was spread all throughout the day. The Ancient Napdragon was defeated and he had made a new friend.

**A/N: Originally posted on AO3 on April 24 2017**


End file.
